Project Coordination and Roles within the Consortium
Each project must appoint a coordinator. The coordinator acts as the central interface between the consortium and the European Commission or funding agency.
The main tasks of the coordinator (see Article 41 of the Grant Agreement) include:
- Communication with the European Commission (Project Officer)
- Submission of reports and requests
- Receipt and distribution of EU funding
- Ensuring timely and proper project implementation
Individual project partners (Beneficiaries) are responsible for their own tasks, as well as for the correct use and reporting of their allocated funds.
Reporting and payments
Reporting takes place at the end of each reporting period and at the end of the project. Each report consists of a technical part and a financial part.
Overview of key standard deadlines (for project-specific deadlines, see Data Sheet Point 4.2):
Reporting and payment deadlines
| What? |
Deadline |
article GA |
Notes |
Interim Report
|
within 60 days after the end of the reporting period |
21.2 |
|
Final Report
|
within 60 days after the end of the project |
21.2 |
|
Pre-financing Payment
|
within 30 days from the entry into force of the Grant Agreement or from 10 days before the starting date of the action |
22.1 |
whichever deadline is last |
| Interim Payment |
within 90 days from submitting the periodic report |
22.1 |
|
| Balance Payment |
within 90 days from submitting the final report |
22.1 |
|
All submissions are made exclusively via the Funding & Tenders Opportunities Portal.
For further details, see the thematic pages on “Grant payments” and “Reporting”.
Amendments and budget transfers
For further details, see the thematic pages on “Amendments” and “Budget transfers”.
Consortium Agreement
For further details, see the thematic page on “Consortium Agreement”.
Publication and dissemination of project results
For further details, see the thematic pages on “Project results and intellectual property”.
Promoting the project and visibility of EU funding
Beneficiaries are required to promote the project and its results and to inform the public about the EU funding received by displaying the EU emblem AND using the mandatory funding acknowledgment text specified in the Grant Agreement.
Illustrations and guidance on visibility requirements can be found in the Annotated Grant Agreement (AGA), Article 17.2.
Checks, reviews and audits by the European Commission
- "Checks"
These are typically internal verifications by the European Commission covering administrative, financial, and technical aspects. If necessary, they may lead to more in-depth reviews or audits.
- "Reviews"
Primarily assess the technical implementation of the project but may also include financial aspects. Results are documented in a review report.
- "Audits"
These are in-depth examinations conducted by the European Commission or external audit firms, usually focusing on financial implementation. Results are documented in a final audit report and a letter of audit conclusions (LoC). Findings may lead to corrections, recoveries, or other measures.
Important: Third parties may also be subject to audits.
Further details can be found on the thematic page “Audits”.
Overview of standard deadlines (for project-specific deadlines, see Data Sheet Point 6):
Periods related to checks, reviews and audits
| What? |
Deadline |
art. GA |
Notes |
| Keeping of records and other supporting documentation |
until 5 years after the final payment |
20.1 |
low value grants lower or equal to 60.000 €: 3 years |
| Keeping during on-going checks, audits, reviews etc. |
until the end of these procedures |
20.1 |
|
| Implementation of checks |
unlimited |
25.1.1 |
|
| Implementation of reviews |
until 2 years after the final payment |
25.1.2 |
low value grants lower or equal to 60.000 €: 3 years |
| Implementation of audits |
until 2 years after the final payment |
25.1.3 |
low value grants lower or equal to 60.000 €: 3 years |
| Checks and audits by the European Court of Auditors (ECA) |
unlimited |
25.4 |
|
| Impact evaluation |
until 5 years after the final payment |
26.1 |
low value grants lower or equal to 60.000 €: 3 years |
Key Tools and Documents
To support successful project implementation, the European Commission provides key reference documents:
- The (General) Model Grant Agreement (GA) is the standard MGA concluded between the European Commission and the beneficiaries and is thus indispensable for any Horizon Europe project. The content is adapted to the respective project and comes into effect upon signature.
Please note: In addition to the standard MGA, there are special regulations for some specific project types.
- We recommend consulting the Annotated Model Grant Agreement (AGA) for better understanding. This guide issued by the European Commission provides annotations and guidance on the interpretation of the MGA (examples, explanations etc.).
- The content of the AGA was integrated into the EU Commission’s Online Manual, which can be found on the Funding & Tender Opportunities Portal. For all project participants who need quick access to specific information!
Further details can be found on the thematic pages "Minimum conditions for participation", "Eligibility conditions" and "Funding rates".
- The European Commission provides several templates (e.g. declarations, reporting) under “Templates & forms”.
Funding & Tender Opportunities Portal
The Funding & Tenders Opportunities Portal is the central platform for:
- proposal submission
- project management
- reporting
- communication with the European Commission
All project-related processes are handled electronically via this platform, including role management and organisation registration.
Further informations